Regeneration in Deptford, London
September 2008
Produced by Dr. Gareth Potts
BURA Director of Research, Policy and Best Practice
Contact: 07792 817156
Table of Contents
Planning and Regeneration Strategy.........................................................................................................................3
Early Community Regeneration..............................................................................................................................11
Renewal of the Pepys Estate....................................................................................................................................15
Riverside Schemes......................................................................................................................................................18
Inland Development...................................................................................................................................................24
Deptford Town Centre Regeneration Programme............................................................................................33
Some Novel Approaches to Regeneration...........................................................................................................36
Appendices..................................................................................................................................................................38
Planning and Regeneration Strategy
The Planning Framework
The key planning guidelines are set out in the Council's emerging Local Development Framework
(LDF)1. Within the suite of documents that make up the Framework, the key document is the
Preferred Options Report for the Council’s Spatial Core Strategy. This details where development
should take place in the borough and how this should be done. All other documents in the Local
Development Framework must be consistent with it. The Spatial (Core) Strategy will also focus on
implementation and delivery and will establish a monitoring framework to assess progress.
The Council is part of the Lewisham Strategic Partnership – a partnership of 20 representatives from
the public, private and voluntary/community sectors to promote and sustain joint working to secure
meaningful ways of engaging the community at all levels, both in terms of setting strategy and
delivering modern effective local services. The Spatial Core Strategy is intended to be the spatial
implementation mechanism for the Community Strategy. It also contains draft/existing borough
policies that could inform planning decisions.
Main Local Plans and Policies Reviewed
A Safer Lewisham (2005-2008)
Climate Change Strategy (2006)
Creative Lewisham, Lewisham Commission on Culture and Urban Development
Early Years Development and Childcare Implementation Plan
Economic Development Business Plan
Education and Development Plan (2002-2007)
Health in Equalities Strategy (2004 - 2010)
Lewisham Contaminated Land Strategy (2001)
Lewisham Energy Policy (2001)
Lewisham Environmental Policy (2002)
Lewisham Homelessness Review and Homeless Strategy (2003-2006)
Lewisham Housing Strategy (2004 – 2007)
Lewisham Local Air Quality Action Plan (2003)
Lewisham Local Implementation Plan (2005 – 2010)
Lewisham Municipal Waste Strategy
Local Biodiversity Plan – A natural renaissance for Lewisham
Local Cultural Strategy
Open Space Strategy for Lewisham (2005 – 2010)
Physical Activity, Sport and Leisure Strategy (2005-2010)
School Organisation Plan for the London Borough of Lewisham (2004 – 2009)
Skills for Life Strategy (2002 – 2010)
1
The key document within the LDF is the Draft Core Strategy. This can be found at right click here
to see Lewisham Draft Spatial Core Strategy
Social Inclusion Strategy 2005 – 2013
Teenage Pregnancy, Parenthood and Sexual Health Strategy (2001 – 2010).
The Local Development Framework in Context
The document must be prepared in accordance with national planning policy statements (PPPs) and
be in general conformity with the regional spatial strategy (known as the London Plan) prepared by
the Mayor of London. The Strategy has also taken the London Development Agency’s Economic
Development Strategy into consideration.
The Spatial Core Strategy does not identify specific sites. This information can be found in the
Development Policies and Site Allocations Development Plan Document. There is also the Proposals
Map that defines specific sites and areas where the local planning authority (i.e. the Council) is making
proposals for particular developments or other land uses, or areas within which particular policies for
the use and development of land will apply.
The Lewisham Preferred Options document reflects the findings from the Issues and Options
consultation2 in 2005. Specifically, the Council consulted on 12 issues such as housing, sustainable
environment, employment land, transport, community facilities and urban design. There is then
further consultation on the Preferred Options – this took place over a six-week period between June
and August of 2007.
2
The ways in which people can be involved in plan-making and determining planning applications are
set out in the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI).
After this, the Spatial Core Strategy has to undergo a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) to assess the social,
economic and environmental effects of strategies and policies in a local development document. The
SA found several main conflicting issues emerging from the Strategy:
•
Designation of employment sites and waste management sites conflict with housing due to
demand for housing. But the relatively small economy creates the need to protect the
employment sites and retain the workforce within the borough.
•
Growth area is situated in a Flood Risk category 3 area.
•
The Growth Area is likely to increase road traffic and add pressure to the public transport
system, which will increase traffic-related air pollution and noise.
•
The per capita open space will be reduced as a result of high density housing. The core
policy on open space hence focuses on improving the quality of open space.
•
Increased development may lead to habitat loss, particularly on sites that are derelict and
vacant.
•
Short term negative effects on resources used for construction.
A final document is then submitted to the Secretary of State (Communities and Local Government)
and be subject to an independent review at an examination in public. After a successful review, the
document can then be adopted by the Council. The Strategy is expected to be relevant over a 10-15
year period from adoption but will be subject to monitoring and revised as appropriate when
circumstances change.
The Growth Scenario Adopted in the Lewisham Core Spatial Strategy
The preferred growth scenario option is to:
•
Promote major growth in the most sustainable areas - these are the major town centres at
Lewisham and Catford, and in the Thames Gateway area of Deptford and New Cross
•
Maximise the scarce land resource by promoting mixed use redevelopment in suitable
locations.
The strategy identifies a range of spatial planning areas for Lewisham. The major growth corridor will
be focussed on the Catford, Lewisham and North Lewisham (New Cross and Deptford) localities.
This will involve substantial new housing, increased employment uses, mixed use development, retail
and town centre uses, and the necessary social, economic and transport infrastructure required to
support the existing and new communities. Good quality design that helps establish ‘place making’ will
be required. Tall buildings may be acceptable provided they contribute to the overall aim of good
urban design. The Council will seek to exploit linkages and connections between all large new
developments in the north of the borough and will require the establishment of new public spaces.
The strategy for Deptford New Cross (DNX) is to improve connections and the quality of places in
the area. It will focus on strategic place making together with site-based principles. The strategy
proposes the redevelopment of several employment sites for mixed use development in this London
Plan opportunity area. This will have a positive and long standing impact on the area and Borough. A
boundary will be identified in the forthcoming Development Policies and Site Allocations
Development Plan Document. New Cross and Deptford district town centres will continue to be the
main focus for retail and town centre uses in the north of the borough. Major new development
should not include substantial retail proposals which would threaten the vitality or viability of these
established district town centres. These town centres will also provide opportunities for residential
development at appropriate densities which reflects good public transport facilities and the local
context of established built form.
Deptford and the Regional Spatial Strategy (the London Plan)
The London Plan and the draft Strategic Regional Development Framework for East London being
prepared by the Mayor of London requires the Council, and the adjoining London Borough of
Greenwich to propose a new policy allocation in their Local Development Frameworks called the
Deptford Creek/Greenwich Riverside Opportunity Area (OAs are ones deemed capable of sustaining
substantial jobs and homes). The London Plan proposes a number of targets within this area to
increase the number of dwellings and the number of employment opportunities. The Preferred
Option (Option 3) includes all of Deptford High Street and all the Creekside area in Lewisham.
Strategic Employment Locations are the core of the former industrial areas where a variety of
business uses are located. In accordance with the London Plan policy 3B.5 the Council will safeguard
sites and business in the SEL for business and waste related uses. The London Plan designates two
Strategic Employment Locations (SELs) in the Borough of Lewisham. These Locations are the Surrey
Canal Strategic Employment Location and the Bromley Road Strategic Employment Location. SELs as
defined in the London Plan, provide land important for London as a whole for uses such as waste
transfer and processing (including recycling), warehousing, and industrial and service businesses.
Residential developments will not be granted planning permission in Strategic Employment Locations
as they are considered to have an adverse impact on the continuing industrial functioning of these
areas. The preferred location for new and relocated waste transfer and processing uses will be the
Surrey Canal Strategic Employment Location subject to meeting the appropriate environmental
constraints for these uses as set out in Policy SE17. Strategic Employment Locations in the London
Plan fall into two categories: Industrial Business Parks for businesses requiring a high quality
environment and preferred Industrial Locations for those with less demanding requirements. The
Strategic Employment Locations in Lewisham fall into the category of Preferred Industrial Locations.
The London Plan also requires that all London’s waste needs to be dealt with within the Metropolitan
boundary as the landfill sites in Kent and Essex will no longer be available (as well as new European
directives). The Council’s Core Strategy states that these locations are the core of the former
industrial area where a variety of business uses are located. The Lewisham Economic Development
Business Plan states that there is an opportunity for creating an environment industries cluster at this
location. The area contains most of the remaining industrial activity and storage and distribution in the
borough, a large number of converted railway arches and the SE London Combined Heat and Power
(SELCHP) plant. The option to maintain the existing boundary of the Surrey Canal Strategic Location
as defined in the East London Strategic Development Framework was rejected. It was considered that
some of the sites in the location were poorly used, no longer contributed to the strategic functioning
of Lewisham by reasons of the uses located on them, and lack of investment in their physical fabric. It
was considered that the opportunities for the regeneration of the north of the borough that would be
presented by taking a strategic approach to those sites no longer considered suitable for this role
outweighed the advantages of retaining these sites in the Strategic Location. This is discussed in more
detail in respect of each site formerly included in the Strategic Locations and now allocated as a
Mixed Use Employment Site.
Major Development Sites in the Draft Core Spatial Strategy
Other Development Areas
The other two main development areas outlined in the Core Spatial Strategy (i.e. in addition to SELs)
are Local Employment Locations (LELs) and Mixed-Use Employment Locations (MELs). The Local
Employment Locations are the residue of business clusters located throughout the borough that are
considered to be coherent areas suitable for continued business use. The LELs will be protected for
continued business use class development. In Deptford the LELs are:
•
Creekside
•
Plough Way
•
Evelyn Street
The Mixed Use Employment Locations are areas identified for mixed land use redevelopment. This
will include a significant contribution to employment but will also be driven by the significant value of
high density residential development. These will be high quality master-planned developments. ‘Place’
making and linkages between the sites and open space areas will be core elements of the strategy. In
Deptford, the Mixed-Use Employment Locations are:
•
Oxestalls Road
•
Convoys Wharf
•
Childers Street and Arklow Road
•
Plough Way (again)
•
Surrey Canal Road (again)
•
Grinstead Road
•
the Sun and Kent Wharf (in Creekside)
Local Labour Agreements
The Council supports the employment of local people in the construction or and end use of new
developments in the borough The Council may seek to secure planning obligations on development
sites providing over 10 residential units, or over 1000 m2 of retail, commercial or industrial floorspace, towards the cost of training local people in the skills and qualifications required to access
employment in the construction or and end use phase of the development.
Regeneration Strategy
'People, prosperity, place' (also known as the Lewisham Regeneration Strategy) is a document which
sets out Lewisham Council's vision for the future of the borough from 2008 until 2020, and the
projects and plans which are underway to deliver that vision. It focuses on the ways in which
regeneration contributes to the Community Strategy priorities, particularly those around crime,
health, education, enterprise and business growth and cultural vitality. The strategy will be supported
by three year implementation plans, structured around the People, Prosperity and Place themes and
the key strategic objectives set out for each theme. They will include clear actions and targets with
measurable outcomes to demonstrate the impact of the Council’s actions and progress towards
achieving its objectives. The first implementation plan covering 2008-2011 is now in place. The
strategy was initially produced in 2007 in a draft form for consultation with local residents and other
stakeholders. Several hundred individuals and groups took the time to read the draft strategy and feed
back their comments. The finalised version of the strategy incorporates many of those stakeholder
suggestions and comments. The Council’s goal is to “make Lewisham the best place to live, work and
learn in London – working closely with communities and businesses right across the borough”.
Key Elements Outlined in the Lewisham Regeneration Strategy
Lewisham town centre. New homes, shops, offices and entertainment venues to transform the town
centre (2015).
New swimming pools at Loampit Vale (2010–11) and Forest Hill (2011–12).
New Cross NDC culture and health centre.
Includes GP surgery, library, café, gymn crèche and public square (2010).
The extended East London Line will cut journey times from the west of the borough to central and
north London (2010–11).
Every secondary school and all special needs facilities in the borough to either be rebuilt or
refurbished. £280 million of investment by 2018.
10,000 new homes being built by 2017.
Deptford town centre transformed. New library, school, station, market and public square (2015).
Already here or on their way...
New swimming pool, Deptford, 2008
Kaleidoscope Centre for Children & Young People, 2007
Downham Health & Leisure Centre, 2007
New schools opened – Forest Hill, Crofton, Childeric, Ashmead and Greenvale, 2007–08
New schools being built – Catford High, Sedgehill, for completion in 2009
Manor House Library modernised, 2008
Local assemblies – giving local people a greater say in local affairs, start 2008
Cornmill Gardens, Lewisham – award winning gardens and public square, 2007
According to the Council, the key barometers of success will be when
•
More people think the Council listens and responds to what they say
•
Every Council/housing association tenant lives in a decent, modernised home
•
More people volunteer and get involved in the local community
•
New businesses come to Lewisham and people find the jobs they want
•
People in Lewisham live longer and stay healthier
•
Children do better at school
•
We throw away a lot less and recycle a lot more
•
We have safer, cleaner streets
•
People can travel around quickly, easily and sustainably
Early Community Regeneration
Overview
Deptford and its surrounds have weathered every kind of UK regeneration programme, including City
Challenge, four Estate Action Programme (EAP) projects, six Single Regeneration Budget (SRB)
programmes, and a New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme in New Cross Gate (part of the
Deptford/New Cross neighbourhoods). While certainly very much tidier than 20 years ago, Evelyn
and New Cross wards – i.e. Deptford/New Cross - remain within the most deprived 10% of English
neighbourhoods.
Learning about Regeneration
Geraldine Blake (now of Community Links) noted in 2001 that the Deptford and New Cross area had
been the subject of more than £150 million of public regeneration money in the last 12 years, through
18 different agencies and initiatives. Yet it remains a recognised deprived priority area. In 1997, GAP
Research were commissioned by Deptford Community Forum and Magpie to undertake a review of
the "regeneration experiences" of the community sector in Deptford and New Cross and to identify
lessons that needed to be passed on. Each of those programmes was meant to 'involve the
community' but they all failed in the sense that local people did not get to identify the priorities or
develop solutions, let alone steer the strategic direction of these interventions. The report identified
the critical missing factor as pre-bid community involvement, networking and project development.
Having spent some time promoting the findings of the "Regeneration Experience", it became apparent
that the local community sector would need to take the next step and find ways of putting the lessons
it had learnt into practice.
The Single Regeneration Budget
The Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) was introduced in April 1994. It combined twenty previously
separate programmes designed to bring about economic, physical and social regeneration in local
areas and its main purpose was to act as a catalyst for regeneration in the sense that it would work to
attract other resources from the private, public and voluntary sectors in order to bring about
improvements in local areas to the quality of life of local people. It was designed to do this by
addressing local need, stimulating wealth creation and enhancing the local competitiveness of the area
as a place in which business wished to invest and people wanted to live. The activities of SRB were
intended to make a real and lasting impact partly through the projects which were financed as part of
the local regeneration package but also, and perhaps more importantly, through the encouragement
of local partnerships. The local partnership approach was seen to be the vehicle by which local players
would come together to formulate a joint approach to meeting local needs and priorities (University
of Cambridge, Department of Land Economy website).
The NX (New Cross) Project
The NX Project was a partnership between a number of local organisations (Magpie, GAP Research,
the Deptford Discovery Team, Milton Court Employment Resource Centre, and Goldsmiths College).
The long term aim was to support the local community to write and lead their own SRB bid. A
postcard to local homes invited local people to attend an introductory meeting. From this was built a
core group of trainees, plus a pool of occasional volunteers. The trainees were offered 3 hours
training a week in community research and project development, over three terms, plus additional
basic skills support as required. They then met together on a further day to carry out practical work.
There were also ran a series of monthly public meetings, called the NX Forums, which aimed to reach
out to local residents, schools, community groups, businesses and agencies. The aim was to make
these Forums as unlike a public meeting as possible, as efforts to get local people out on a cold
evening to a draughty church hall were not working. The NX Forums were open events hosted by
different local organisations at different venues (giving host organisations an opportunity to showcase
their own work), at different times of day, days of week, and with different themes. The Forums
tended to be based around a series of participative activities, and used a variety of props and tools.
Some examples of NX Forums were:
•
An evening Forum in a local motor workshop project which works with teenagers
•
An after school session in the playground of a local primary school
•
A number of fun days in local parks - the Friendly Gardens Fun Day included a dog show, a
nature walk, and a debate in a skating circle.
•
A Friday night party organised by young people, at which attendees had to complete a
number of tasks before gaining entrance to the party.
We found that we were able to make each event unique by combining venues with appropriate props
and activities. The attendance at Forums ranged from 20 people to over 200. The trainees
wholeheartedly agreed with the principle that the research we would carry out in our local area
should be interesting and fun for those who take part in it, rather than draining information from
them. The use of participative approaches helped to overcome "meeting" issues (hierarchies, whose
agenda?, talking shops etc) and enabled a wide diversity of people to contribute. Participation also
addressed the "fear of research" (is this representative, is our sample right, the tendency to keep data
to oneself until the end of a project) and, in a number of circumstances, led to local people and
organisations being inspired to take action.
The participative tools that found to be particularly useful were:
•
Problem wall / solution tree : one of the trainees was inspired by a picture in a textbook to
build an 8' x 8' wooden tree. This is now in the Museum of London Collecting 2000
exhibition, and a new one was built locally, plus a series of smaller desk top trees (bonsais!)
•
Drawing and building maps of the area: what it's like now, future maps, mobility maps etc.
For one event, local nurseries brought along a large model made of cardboard boxes of what
the children valued in the area and what they would like to see in the future (a zoo, so that
they could wave to the giraffes!)
•
Walking, talking and taking photos: the trainees and volunteers spent a great deal of time
walking around New Cross and Deptford with local people, and mounted exhibitions of
photographs of "problems and opportunities". The project team got through large amounts
of coloured dots and post it notes when we took these exhibitions out.
•
New tools: recognising the value of the visual and the innovative, the trainees constantly
invented and built new tools. This led to a library of props including the Snakes and Ladders
Game, the Pathways Prop, the Mood-o-meter, and the …
The Get Set for Citizenship SRB Bid
As the deadline for SRB5 bids approached the Magpie team were relieved that LB Lewisham did not
submit yet another bid for Deptford/New Cross. Instead Magpie began a 2-year process of
community development, research, training and creative outreach which led to the Get Set for
Citizenship SRB programme in the 21 ‘natural neighbourhoods’ of Deptford and New Cross. The bid
was written through a series of practical workshops, with hands on involvement from trainees and
volunteers. The use of participative techniques provided the opportunities for much deeper debate
which began to identify that the real issues were about the power of the "big players" to decide the
future of our area, and the lack of control by local communities over decision making. The SRB6
programme that resulted from the NX Project was a £1.4 million programme over 2.5 years, that was
to:
•
Fund a range of involvement projects supporting local communities and individuals, making
sure their voices are heard
•
Build on these to develop a community council for New Cross and Deptford
•
House it in a new civic centre and arm it with a regeneration charity
•
Fund a number of investigations - finding local solutions for the issues that local people have
identified as important (e.g. transport, environment, employment & training) and develop
long term strategies to address these
The fact that local communities have been empowered to come together and reach consensus on this
issue has been the real benefit of using participative approaches in community regeneration. The Get
Set for Citizenship Programme continued to use participative approaches throughout the programme
to involve and inspire local people.
The Creekside Renewal Single Regeneration Budget bid for government funding, involving Greenwich
and Lewisham Councils, other private and public partners and local community groups, was successful
and started in April 1996. It has funded the Creekside Greening and Cleaning Project for Deptford
Creek, which aimed to protect and enhance the wildlife habitats, enhance and repair floodwalls,
remove rubbish and improve local access. Without this work, it was feared that the Creek would
continue to be undervalued and used as a dumping ground. The book, Deptford Creek: "Surviving
Regeneration" (available from the Centre), offers an over view of the issues surrounding the Creek.
Of all Deptford regeneration activity, it was the focus on Creekside that has provided the most
lessons. The combination of two SRB programmes – one led by the local authorities, the other by the
Deptford Discovery Team, a community consultancy service specialising in environmental and
heritage projects3, on behalf of Groundwork – and the development of the hyperactive Creekside
Forum meant the regeneration of this muddy backwater became focused on “renewal without
destruction”. This remains an important balancing act to ensure that Deptford’s special and
spectacular history is not wiped out by ambitious but insensitive ‘regeneration’.
City Challenge
City Challenge allocated £37.5m each over five years to 31 Urban Programme authorities to achieve
self-sustaining regeneration of their designated City Challenge areas on the basis of two competitions.
In the first round, 17 local authorities covering 15 areas were invited to compete for City Challenge
status. They were chosen to represent the wide range of circumstances across the country and their
ability to work up imaginative plans quickly. Bids were submitted by cross-sectoral Partnerships.
Eleven areas were selected as Pacemakers to pilot the initiative. For Round 2, starting in April 1993,
all 57 of the then Urban Programme Authorities were invited to bid. There were twenty winners out
of fifty tour bids. City Challenge was targeted upon specific areas, time limited, output driven and
based upon partnership (source: CLG website).
The Legacy of City Challenge
Deptford Challenge Trust is a grant-making charitable trust. It is run by an independent Board of
Trustees, who together have wide experience of Deptford and its needs. The Trust benefits from an
income from investments of the former Deptford City Challenge. With this, it provides grants to
3
This was a local social enterprise which led lots of the work in the area from 1993 to 2005.
voluntary and community organisations for activities which benefit residents within the Deptford
Challenge Trust area. The Trust aims to improve the quality of life for people who live and work in
Deptford, through informed and strategic grant-making. Individual Trustees are nominated by the
following organisations: Deptford Community Forum (2 trustees), Deptford Tenants and Residents
Association, Goldsmiths College, Lewisham College, London Borough of Lewisham, Metropolitan
Police Service and Citibank.
Recent Small Grant awards include:
•
£1,500 for the Afghan Community Organisation who provide mother tongue and curriculum
support to Afghan children in the Deptford area.
•
£2,000 for Deptford Action Group for the Elderly. ‘DAGE’ runs a ‘Pop-In’ centre, where
isolated older people can meet, keep active, and receive advice with their benefits, for
example.
•
£5,000 for Asian Family & Youth Link towards an inter-generational health project. This has
brought younger and older family members together, from a range of Asian backgrounds, to
participate in health and recreation activities. The project aims to address health problems
like heart disease and diabetes, which can be particularly high amongst Asian communities.
Examples of recent Strategic Grants are:
•
Roots & Wings who have received £25,000 to run a mentoring scheme. This partners
business mentors from high-profile City firms, with young people from Deptford Green
School. Through the mentoring relationship, the project aims to raise young people’s
aspirations, confidence and achievements.
•
Dovetail Childcare Solutions were awarded £25,700 to pilot a new approach to childcare.
The organisation has developed a flexible nursery system, for children aged 0-5, open 8am –
9pm, which is more responsive to different working hours and shift patterns. The grant
funded advice sessions for parents, to help them take up childcare benefits and return to
work.
•
Target 3 has been granted £25,300 towards their training and advice service for refugees and
asylum seekers. With their Advice & Advocacy worker they are able to help those with the
right to work, to get job placements and enter the employment market. Target 3 also runs
training courses in book keeping and Sage accounting.
http://www.deptfordchallengetrust.org.uk/
Renewal of the Pepys Estate
The Estate Action Plan
The Estate Action Plan of the 1990s focused on removing many of the very design aspects that were
most celebrated when the Pepys estate was first built - the massive ‘streets-in-the-sky’ catwalks
separating pedestrians from traffic had become liabilities that destroyed neighbourhood connections
and turned the estate into a maze.
Like the original concept for the estate, the action plan was radical in that it involved the residents,
Council officers, architects and planners. All were as equally involved in thinking through the planning
proposal. The proposal eventually put forward and agreed involved very little demolition. What was
finally agreed, following community involvement, was refurbishment of existing buildings. The only
demolition was of one block of flats - Merrick House of 44 flats, located in the central area of the
estate. The proposed replacement was to be new social housing of fourteen 3-bed houses and four 4bed houses. The existing Community Centre and existing shops were to be demolished, and a new
Community Centre and ground level shops built. The new houses were to have their own enclosed
gardens. This was seen as a plus for the estate as none of the existing flats on the estate had gardens.
Just when the scheme should have reached completion, it all began to fall apart. The Council,
Lewisham, claimed it had run out of money. It could no longer afford refurbishment, the blocks left
were not worthy of refurbishment. New architects were appointed, with no input from the tenants.
Aragon (Sale and Decantation)
As part of the way to fund wider area regeneration, Aragon Tower was sold by Lewisham Council to
Berkeley Group, in 2002 for £11.5 million. The negotiation was conditional upon vacant possession
and planning permission for a further five floors of glazed penthouses. This move into the private
sector left the residents of Aragon dispersed throughout Lewisham into other social housing schemes
in the borough and given about £1500 each in compensation.
Despite the huge sums of council money riding on the permission, Lewisham’s Planning Committee,
led by chair Councillor Terry Scott, opted to defer permission for 6 weeks whilst the developer
Berkeley met with estate activists. This negotiation led to the removal of the ‘cappucino deck’ (a first
floor terrace where people from the tower could sit out but others could not access) from the plans,
the granting of the mezzanine floor on a 999-year peppercorn lease to Pepys Community Forum, and
a general opening up of the area around the tower.
Completed in the Summer of 2006 by Berkeley Homes (East Thames), part of the Berkeley Group
Holdings plc, Aragon Tower has won numerous industry awards. Designed by Rolfe Judd Architects
and built out by Apex Construction, Aragon Tower represents one of the first large scale tower
block regeneration projects within London. 14 Penthouse units (and five floors) were added to the
top of Aragon Tower taking the building up to 29 storeys and cementing its position as one of the
tallest residential towers in London at 92 metres. It contains 158 residential apartments ranging from
2 to 3 bedrooms. The BBC Series ‘the Tower’ (shown in July and August of 2007) showed just how
stark the differences are between Deptford’s newest residents and its previously typical incomers4.
4
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQBRkvGnTZs
Looking Up at the Aragon Tower
Hyde Housing
Hyde Housing, a Registered Social Landlord, bought a large part of the rest of the estate from LB
Lewisham for £6.5m. with Housing Corporation support they have built attractive new courtyardtype flats although the advertising has consisted of imagery directed at thirty-something ‘Yuppie’ and
‘Dinky’ couples5. BPTW Partnership were the architects and master-planners. The scheme has been
constructed over three phases and provides 260 new homes of mixed tenure, including spacious
apartments and houses. Sustainability and connecting public realm space, while maximising the unique
and historical location of the residential development was the key objective for the masterplan and
design of Pepys. Connecting public and green spaces at Pepys was another core objective of the
master-plan, providing overlooked and accessible thoroughfares from surrounding nature reserves,
the Thames Path and Admiralty Square to the residential community. Home Zone principles have
been employed to ensure that pedestrian traffic is a priority, while thoroughfares and links to public
transport have enhanced employment and access opportunities for residents and provided an
environmentally friendly option for travel. Pepys has achieved a Building for Life Silver Standard from
CABE and the Best Public Housing Development category at the Brick Awards in 2005. For a critical
view of the process (in particular the extent of consultation with local residents) see Keith Parkins’
2005 account for Indymedia right click here to see Parkin's Indymedia account.
5
Further details on the estate can be found at: CABE on Pepys Estate and CLG on Pepys Estate.
Riverside Schemes
Millenium Quay
On the large former Power Station site, now known as Millennium Quay, at the mouth of the Creek,
occupied by marine industry for 500 years, a dreary development was only a little enlivened by the
statue of Peter the Great6 organised by Graham Corneck the then maverick local vicar of St Nicholas’
Church known affectionately as the ‘irreverend reverend’ and, occasionally, the ‘loose canon’. The
developer Fairview placed all the affordable housing at the back of the site, hidden from the river
views by the steeply rising storeys of the private sale blocks. It is testimony to the rootedness of the
vicar, churchwardens and congregation at St Nicholas Church that they opened a new gate in their
6
Peter the Great holds historical reference to the Quay, then docklands, as he spent time there in
1698 learning about shipbuilding at the Kings Dockyard.
historic wall to allow their new neighbours access to the refurbished church gardens. The power
station had a superb 200m landing stage, which was short-listed for Millennium lottery funding for
restoration as public open space with leisure use, but turned down when journalist Sir Simon Jenkins
appeared for the assessment and indicated that he thought the tidal Thames should be permanently
barraged for water-sports.
right click here to see Bird's Eye view of Millenium Quay
Convoys
This large site takes up approximately half of Lewisham’s River Thames frontage. Wharf uses ceased
on this site in September 1999. The option presented for this site in the Site Allocations Issues and
Options paper reflected an existing outline planning application for a mixed use development. The site
has been the subject of major master-planning activity by the Rogers, Stirk, Harbours and Partners,
throughout the past seven years. This will involve the construction of around 3,500 new homes and
an extension of Deptford High Street northwards towards the river.
Views of the Convoys Site and Aragon Tower
(source: paynesandborthwick.co.uk)
(source: Graham XI; Flickr)
Convoys Wharf Master-plan
The existing Olympia Warehouse, a grade II listed building, will be retained and refurbished to create
a key landmark building. The development will comprise of a mixed-use of activities, including:
3,500 new homes, with 35% designated for affordable housing
•
sustainable business park
•
cultural facilities
•
•
•
retail
employment
community uses
Extensive public spaces including the extended ‘high street’, the riverside walk, the main square and
the creation of a historic route linking the dry dock to Sayes Court Garden via John Evelyn House will
be incorporated into the development.
Three tall towers, ranging from 26 to 40 storeys high will create a sense of place and signal the
regeneration of Convoys Wharf from surrounding areas. The buildings will respect the strategic views
of St. Paul’s from Greenwich Park.
Public transport improvements include a new bus service linking with surrounding rail stations, a river
bus service and links to the Greenwich Waterfront Transit Scheme. Changes to the local road
network are proposed to improve traffic flow in the immediate area and improvements to pedestrian
and cycle links are also included.
A waste recycling and reprocessing facility is planned, maintaining the commercial viability of the
wharf. This will include river use for the movement of materials to and from the site. Other riverrelated plans include a boat-repair yard, riverboat service and moorings.
The development will also include a community centre (potentially incorporating an IT facility, adult
learning centre, crèche, café and other community/public space), primary school and a GP health
centre.
Convoys Wharf: Urban Design Principles
There will be two key axes, one running north–south connecting Deptford High Street with the
Thames, and another running east–west, connecting the heart of the site with Grove Street, along
with a number of secondary routes, provide legibility and access across the site.
A number of development parcels, defined by these primary axes and secondary routes, are able to
be developed in stages and to accommodate a mix of land use, building types and scale of
development. The development ranges from four storeys at the edges of the site and builds up in
height as it moves towards the water’s edge. The predominant massing of six to eight storeys
establishes the urban grain, while three residential towers of 26, 32 and 40 storeys mark the three
principal routes into the heart of the site and form a dramatic new setting for the Olympia
Warehouse and the main square.
Other strategies include ‘fringe knitting’ through a series of specifically designed responses of varying
height linking and integrating the new development to the wide variety of edge conditions opened up
through the removal of the boundary wall.
A series of ‘gateways’ into the site are identified with distinctive corner treatments, while a
‘permeable ground’ means that all buildings, especially along main routes, front onto streets and public
spaces and have active uses to the ground floor. This allows a high degree of flexibility and
penetration, thereby encouraging pedestrians to use the site to its fullest extent.
The masterplan includes the creation of a number of important views and vistas that celebrate local
historic landmarks such as the Olympia Warehouse and the Double Dry Dock, as well as those
outside the site such as Sayes Court Gardens and the Shipwright’s Palace. In the wider context, views
to Canary Wharf to the north, Deptford High Street to the south and Greenwich to the east will be
opened up by the development and will add visual interest and connectivity to the broader context
and historic setting.
Image of Proposed Convoys Development
(source: Rogers, Stirk, Harbours and Partners)
(source: Rogers, Stirk, Harbours and Partners)
Outline planning approval for a masterplan, designed by RRP, was granted by the London Borough of
Lewisham in May 2005 (subject to referral to the Mayor and the Government Office for London and
the signing of a s106 agreement). Today, the Greater London Authority has still to grant permission. If
News International succeed in gaining planning permission then the site will be sold to a subsidiary of
Cheung Kong Holdings for £100million. The supposedly confidential sales agreement dated 13 May
2005 can be purchased from HM Land Registry for £6 by post (or downloaded for £3) where it is
filed against title number SGL2927537.
Alternative Visions: Convoys Opportunity
Local community groups, businesses and churches in Deptford, and beyond, have and are campaigning
under the banner of Convoys Opportunity to have the current application refused and the
safeguarding order upheld. London is exceptional amongst major cities, with the necessary depth of
water, in not having a purpose built Cruise Liner Terminal. If the application gets past Mayor Boris
then Convoys Opportunity will ask Hazel Blears to call-in the application for a ministerial decision
(after a public inquiry) (source: Wikipedia).
Paynes and Borthwick Wharf
Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent were granted in June 2006 and overturned by High
Court Sep 2006, granted again 24 April 2007.
Location of Paynes and Borthwick Wharf
(source: paynesandborthwick.co.uk)
7
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convoy%27s_Wharf
and http://www.communities.gov.uk/thamesgateway/overview/london/lewisham/convoyswharf.
Paynes and Borthwick Regeneration
Designs have been unveiled for a new residential development in south east London's creative hub,
which mixes culture and lifestyle in a scheme that combines sleek modern architecture with period
restoration. Paynes & Borthwick Wharves on the River Thames at Deptford, West Greenwich, will
provide new art and workspace amenities for local creative talent as part of a mixed-use development
providing 257 apartments. It features a brand new an 18-storey tower, together with the retained and
restored Italianate arches of Paynes Wharf. Designed by Assael Architects, it will open up the
riverfront to the public, reinstating the historic route of Middle Watergate. The development offers a
combination of one-, two- and three-bed flats, plus top floor penthouses, in addition to ten live/work
units, located in Greenwich. Paynes & Borthwick Wharves is one of a number of regeneration
schemes that are marking Deptford's renaissance. These include the nearby Convoys Wharf mixeduse development which will bring a range of homes, businesses and amenities to the locality as part of
a major revitalisation of this riverside site. The developer is Lane Castle. The development will total
32,500 sqm in the site area, which includes listed sections of Paynes Wharf with its dramatic
Italienette arches, where the north, south and west exterior walls will be retained and incorporated
into the new design. In addition to the apartments, around 3,500 sqms of new commercial space is to
be created at the lower levels, incorporating restaurant/café space, a magnificent gallery/cultural
venue, and office/design studios.
Artist’s Impression of Paynes and Borthwick Development
(source: paynesandborthwick.co.uk)
Greenwich Reach East
This is 7.7 acres surrounded on three sides by water at the mouth of Deptford Creek. Permission for
over 900 residential units and 7,000 sq ft of commercial and public space is not granted yet as the
S106 agreement was not signed. The London Borough of Greenwich has granted detailed planning
consent for Broadway Malyan's Greenwich Reach scheme in East London. The residential-led scheme
for London Merchant Securities will act as a new gateway for Greenwich, providing an active and
vibrant public realm and delivering valuable new community facilities. The 100,000m² development
comprises 982 residential units (including 35% affordable units) and 7,100m² of commercial space,
including retail, bars, restaurants, cafés, a crèche, medical facilities, design studio workshops and also a
heritage museum. The scheme meets current GLA requirements for 10% renewable energy.
What of the Wealthier Incomers?
Aragon Tower community site is run by the community of Aragon Tower and is not related in any
form to Berkeley Homes or KFH management. There have been efforts to support the formation of
the Residents Association. There is already a Millenium Quay Residents Association – see
http://www.mqra.co.uk
OneSE8 has a very active Residents Association, working in a two-tier system. The OneSE8 Working
Group holds Residents meetings to collect views and issues from residents and then meets with
County Estate Management and St James Homes to put discuss these issues. Minutes and further
information can be found in the Residents Association section of the forums.
http://www.onese8residents.com
Inland Development
Deptford Wharves
At the north easterly corner of the Grove Street site (by Oxestalls Road) a former Paper Bag Factory
has been converted to apartments. Most of the Grove Street site however is occupied by industrial
units, including a substantial breakers’ yard, unpopular with local residents due to the noise created by
the breakers’ yard (owned by GD Metals). Other buildings include a pub and the Law Brothers unit in
the old chapel which was leased by Pepys Community Forum. On the Evelyn Street frontage is a Shell
garage and Sainsbury’s Local and a series of spaces occupied by a car auction lot, a car wash and an
off-license. Various employment sites on Grove Street are being accumulated by a developer (City
and Provincial Properties) over the last 2-3 years. A planning application is expected in mid-2009.
Oxestalls Road MEL
This substantial area bounded by Oxestalls Road, Grove Street, Dragoon Road and Evelyn Street
(A200) has premises and land of widely varying quality and use. These include a metal recycling firm –
the noise from which has resulted in complaints from neighbouring occupiers on the Pepys Estate and
provides a poor environment for nearby residential uses. Other uses include: haulage, Car Auctions, a
petrol filling station and mini-supermarket, car repair etc. The site in the past has been in fragmented
ownership which has precluded a comprehensive approach to its development and management.
Comprehensive redevelopment would provide an opportunity to radically improve the social, physical
and economic quality of the area, benefit local residents by removing environmentally unfriendly uses,
an increase in the number of jobs on the site which at the moment only provides in the region of 4050, and a contribution to housing provision. Other opportunities presented by the site include the
reopening of the former Surrey Canal to provide a high quality landscape feature/public open space
and a link through to a similar landscape feature at the Mixed Use Employment Location at Plough
Way. This could provide coherence, physical linkages and integration to a large area of the north of
the borough that is inaccessible and physically forbidding. The site is likely to be contaminated
through various industrial uses and the material used to fill the course of the former Surrey Canal.
The remains of the former Surrey Canal Bridge obscure sightlines on Evelyn Street/Dragoon Road for
oncoming traffic restricting access from Dragoon Road from Grove Street only. The review identified
that overall this site is in poor condition, with many buildings in poor repair, and was under used with
a low employment density. Some uses on the site were the subject of extensive complaints by local
residents. Despite its good location on Evelyn Street (A200) this large site has failed to attract much
employment investment over many years.
Illustrative Master Plan for Oxestalls Road
Taxi Maintenance on Grove Street
View of the Breakers Yard from Oxestalls Road
View South to Grove Street (and the Oxestalls Road site)
Deptford Wharves (Initial Thoughts for a Master-Plan for the Oxestalls Road Site)
Hawkins\Brown architects and designers have been appointed by the land-owner and developer City
& Provincial plc to prepare a master-plan for the 4.4Ha site in Deptford (C&P own all but the Shell
garage). The proposals show the potential for a generous water body at the heart of this substantial
site, a 21st Century Wharf, offering visual and physical amenity with opportunities for recreation,
ecology and sustainability. Links with the adjoining Convoys Wharf development and cross site
permeability are also encouraged. A true mixed-use, sustainable development is envisaged
accommodating clusters of workspace, local shopping, community facilities and a range of mixed
tenure homes. Hawkins\Brown is working closely with Savills/Hepher Dixon to capture the social and
economic needs of the emerging community and its demographic. Max Fordham, Halcrow and CSa
have been appointed to look at environmental issues; sustainability, hydrology and ecology. Various
strategies are being considered in response to the Mayor's ambitions to achieve carbon neutrality on
new development sites. For some initial sketches right click for sketches of Deptford Wharves
The Old Seager Distillery
The site, between the top of Brookmill Road and Deptford Broadway (just west of the DLR station)
already has planning consent for a mixed use/residential development with tower. The preferred
option is Mixed Use Development. The buildings on this site in a high profile location adjacent to a
station on the Docklands Light Railway, and fronting on to the A2 major thorough route in the
borough were considered to be under-used, and represented a low density use of the site.
Old Seager Gin Distillery
Planning Permission has been granted for a development of workspaces, studios, two art galleries,
restaurant and retail space as well as 219 homes located within a 26 story landmark tower. It is due
for completion in 2010/11. The original distillery frontage will be kept. Next door was Norfolk House
which has been demolished (in the process of which over 100 Housing Association tenants were
displaced). The area was home to music rehearsal rooms, art spaces, a skateboard ramp and
numerous other small projects. Certainly, the relevant planning decisions seem to have been granted
by Mayor. Alongside the interesting, if isolated, OneSE8 development, a tower will not be as out of
place at it might have been once. The application was submitted by developer MacDonald Egan
(Brookmill Estates Ltd.) and the scheme was designed by John MacAslan and Partners and HKR.
Galliard Homes have since sought to apply for a new planning permission (this time with BUJ
architects working on the scheme) that builds on that which was initially granted. Right click for views
on the development from CABE and Galliard Homes.
Old Seager Distillery Site – Artist’s Impression
(source: http://www.medhosted.co.uk/index.php/main/dev/completed/9/0)
St James/RMA Developments (OneSE8 and Silkworks)
OneSE8, developed by St James Homes and designed by architects RMA, is a new urban quarter
comprising apartments, live/work units, a ‘pocket park’, shops, offices, restaurants and a gym. During
the planning phase, discussions were held between St James Homes and The Stephen Lawrence Trust
with a view to incorporating an educational facility within the development. As a result St James
Homes
gifted
the
Trust
an
adjacent
site
which
became
the
Stephen
Lawrence
Centrehttp://www.onese8.co.uk
St James and RMA are also responsible for Silkworks (slightly South East of the One SE8 site) an
imposing nine-storey, ten level apartment building. The aim is for this to be a flagship of modern
design; a building of architectural merit and a pleasurable environment which is both flexible and
diverse for residents to enjoy. As with most St James developments, Silkworks London is a former
brownfield site which is being transformed into a sustainable residential location. Not only are
construction methods chosen to minimize damage to the environment but the apartments and studio
flats come with a variety of environmentally friendly and cost saving features. Such features include:
•
Energy Efficient Kitchen Appliances: All of the appliances in your new home are A rated* (A
being high and G being the lowest).
•
Low Water Use Bathroom Fittings: To include dual flush toilets, aerated taps and low flow
showers.
•
Low Energy Usage Light Fittings: Located in the kitchen, hallway and bedroom.
•
Proximity Light Sensors: 50% of the lights in the communal hallways and basement car park
are controlled by movement and will turn off automatically when no movement is detected
after a short period.
•
District Heating System: A central boiler system will power heating and hot water for all
apartments.
•
Solar Panels on Roof: These will preheat water being fed into the central boiler to the
required temperature before distribution to the apartments. This provides a CO2 saving of
approximately 10%.
•
Brown Roof: Benefits include reduction of storm water run off; reduction of heat loss from
the building in winter; reduction of internal building temperature in summer; reduction in
energy costs.
•
High Levels of Insulation: The external walls, windows, ground floor, roof and hot water
cylinder are highly insulated reducing heat loss. In addition the windows use a Low-E clear
glass with a thin, transparent metal-oxide coating which helps block the transfer of radiant
heat.
Creekside Village
Creekside Local Employment Location/Cultural Quarter
Creekside falls within the Deptford Creek/Greenwich Riverside Opportunity Area as defined in the
East London Sub Regional Development Framework (Greater London Authority). This includes
guidelines for an increase in the number of jobs and residential units to this area. The Council has
been promoting this area as a creative hub and many creative businesses are located in this area. This
area was identified as a creative quarter and the option put forward as part of the issues and options
consultation was to ‘identify creative quarters where the Council will encourage development of
creative enterprises. The preferred option is to proceed with the creative quarter option and Option
1 - retention of employment uses which supports the identification of a creative quarter.
Development should improve the structure, environmental quality and appearance of the Creek walls
and take account of the Environment Agency’s requirements for building near flood defences. The
Lewisham Economic Development Business Plan considers how to sustain and develop the creative
cluster it identifies at Creekside, and states that Deptford is seen by commercial agents as a potential
future hub for creative arts businesses pushed out from Central London area which have become too
costly for designer makers. It considers that to fully consolidate the creative cluster in the area some
available sites need to be specially earmarked. The Council considers that this option, by protecting
land in employment use supports this aim.
Creekside Village
There are now ambitious plans for a Creekside Village development on the brown-field site around
the Laban centre for contemporary dance, 2/3 current planning applications as site ownership split
and borough boundary runs through site. This is on an adjacent brown-field site, with new housing,
shops and artists studios. The project seeks to reduce energy use, carbon emissions and increase the
use of renewable energy throughout the development. The planned development in the image below
is to be developed by Ampurius NuHomes Investments Ltd – with Squire and Partners as the
architect. Planning permission was granted for the scheme in December 2007 and that the current
application makes some minor changes, but does not fundamentally change the overall design of the
development. www.thecreeksidevillage.com
Location of Creekside Village
(source: Multimap.com)
Greenwich Village East, artist’s impression
(Source: Squire and Partners hold copyright, found on skyscrapernews.com)
Sun and Kent Wharf MEL
Sun Wharf and Kent Wharf are two contiguous sites bordered on the west by Creekside and on the
east by Deptford Creek. Kent Wharf is at the north end of the site and is adjacent to the Laban
Dance Centre. Sun Wharf is at the southern end of the site and is bordered by the railway viaduct
(with the well known Halfpenny Hatch bridge over the Creek) which is used by a scaffolding firm. The
Creekside Ecology Centre is on the southern side of the viaduct. The site has the potential to add to
the hub of creative industries at Deptford/Greenwich – Cockpit Arts on the site is a well known
venue and provider of workspace for creative industries. To the south close by are the Faircharm
Studios, and Harold Wharf which provide workspaces and galleries/studios for creative industries.
Kent Wharf is currently occupied by a scaffolding firm and comprises storage sheds and vehicle
servicing facilities. Sun Wharf comprises a mixture of sheds and warehouses occupied by a large
catering company. Planning permission has recently been granted for the demolition of the buildings
on Kent Wharf and the construction of a part six/part seven storey building to provide commercial
units at ground floor level and 63 flats above. Development of the site is sensitive due to the adjacent
Deptford Creek Site of Nature Conservation Importance which is classified as being of Metropolitan
Importance. Since the preparation of the Issues and Options paper, Kent Wharf, Sun Wharf and
Cockpit Arts have been studied as part of the North Lewisham Master-plan project. The site no
longer includes Thanet Wharf which will be treated as a whole with proposals for development that
cross the borough boundary with Greenwich. The Preferred Option is proposed to be a combination
of: Mixed use commercial and residential and Promotion of cultural activities and industries. The
opportunity should be taken to create a pedestrian and cycleway along the Creek edge to form part
of the Waterlink Way long distance path. The Council will enter into S106 agreements with
developers to ensure that a proportion of the business floor-space will be retained for use by the
Creative industries or will apply appropriate planning conditions to ensure the maintenance of a
creative cluster. This is in line with Policy 3B.9 of the London Plan which states that the needs of key
creative industries will be identified and will seek to retain them in London. Existing clusters of these
uses should be protected and developed. The Lewisham Economic Development Business Plan 2004
identifies the Creekside area as a location where available sites need to be ‘specially earmarked’ for
creative uses if high quality creative sector inward investment is to be attracted.
Deptford Town Centre Regeneration Programme
Overview
The preferred option in the Core Spatial Strategy Preferred Options is to proceed with option 2 to
modify the boundary of the Deptford Town Centre boundary to include a cultural area, and an
additional parcel of land to the north of the boundary to fortify and improve the quantum of retail
within the town centre (1) as detailed in Figure X.
Regeneration
This is a council-led initiative which will transform the area around Deptford High Street. This flagship
programme will create a new civic focus for Deptford and will make the area an even better place to
live, work and learn. The highly innovative plans combine a new public library and council access point
– making it easier for local people to contact frontline council services. A modern café will provide a
vibrant meeting place and a rebuilt Tidemill School will become a new hub of community learning. The
rebuilt school and new library will be fronted by a high quality public space, including an extended and
improved Giffin Square. New homes, new work units and new parking facilities will strengthen the
local economy and improve business opportunities, building on the area’s reputation for artistic
excellence.
Some of the Town Centre Schemes
Giffin Street Area Development
The redevelopment is being led by The London Borough of Lewisham, guided by a strategic masterplan developed in 2005. It will involve the rebuilding of a local primary school, improvements to
residential buildings in the area, an additional swimming pool and fitness suite in the extended leisure
centre, a new public square - Giffin Square, studios for small businesses and a new ‘one stop’
community facility to be called Deptford Lounge, incorporating a café, library, ball court, and
community space. To view the master-plan visit www.lewisham.gov.uk/deptfordtowncentre
A new Deptford Station and the associated development at Deptford Rise will complement the
proposals for Giffin Street and will dramatically improve the quality of the local environment.
Deptford Station and the Deptford Project
Deptford Station and the adjoining development, the Deptford project, is a major public-sector led
regeneration project. It will include the transformation of the old railway yard into a new public
piazza, new residential apartments and work spaces and craft studios in the 21 railway arches. The
development will include bars, cafes and exhibition space for Deptford’s creative community and the
restoration of a heritage listed Victorian carriage ramp (this took carriages up to the platform level).
Work is expected to commence on a completely new station building in December 2008. Cathedral
Group is to restore railway arches near the site next year ahead of the construction of a new
Network Rail railway station. The arches will house shops and galleries, while a new public square will
be next to a planned Richard Rogers residential development. Soon, Deptford Train Station will be
rebuilt. When it is complete, work will start to transform the area that was the original railway yard.
A new and important public space with a weekend creative industries market, shops and galleries will
form a new heart to Deptford High Street using the original railway arches and restoring the carriage
ramp to its former glory. Eventually a new residential building, designed by world-famous architect,
Richard Rogers, will be built at the back of the carriage ramp bringing new life to the area and
connecting the ramp back to the railway line as it was when it was built as the first suburban railway
station in London in 1836. The £25m investment in a replacement Deptford station and
improvements to the listed carriage ramp will provide a safer, accessible and more welcoming
environment. New shops and a public piazza will attract more visitors to the area, boosting the local
environment and economy. The project will also provide much needed housing as well as safeguard
and enhance the historic carriage ramp, one of the oldest surviving railway structures in London. The
development of a residential and live/work scheme at Octavius Street forms part of the larger
regeneration scheme for Deptford and is linked to the adjacent redevelopment of Deptford Station,
the station forecourt and listed carriage ramp and viaduct. Lewisham Council has selected Cathedral
as the private development partners to deliver this part of the Station redevelopment. The Deptford
Station Steering Group, led by Joan Ruddock MP has been the driving force behind the Station
improvements and redevelopment (see http://www.thedeptfordproject.com).
The Deptford Project Café is the first step in a project to completely regenerate the area around
Deptford Train Station and the old Victorian carriage ramp. A disused rail carriage has been
converted into a café as part of a Deptford regeneration project. Designers Studio Myerscough and
property developer Cathedral Group have teamed up to convert a 1960s South East Trains
commuter carriage into a café as part of arts and regeneration scheme. Kitted out with hand-painted
images and bespoke furniture, the 35 tonne café, which has just opened on Deptford High Street, has
been lovingly renovated by local craftsman and features some rather unique design ideas. A garden
shed next to the carriage is now the ominously named Elvis Loo, doubling up as a toilet and shrine to
the King. Customers can send photos of themselves as Elvis in the toilet’s mirror to the project’s
website. The café will act as a hub for artists, designers and musicians who use the disused railway
yard next to it to exhibit and perform works, with a market open at weekends. See image
(source: http://www.studiomyerscough.com)
Some Novel Approaches to Regeneration
Liquid Culture
Liquid Culture aims to work with local communities, NGOs and researchers, providing advice on
communicative ecologies and technical and legal infrastructure in support of cultural projects and
processes for social change. The group’s values are rooted in the promotion of sustainable freedom,
equality and diversity. Their methods combine critical and radical thinking, drawing on a diverse set of
resources and expertise from our passionate fellows. Deptford TV is the first tried and true of the
Deptford projects. http://liquidculture.eu/projects.
Deptford.TV
Initiated by Adnan Hadzi within his practice-based doctoral research, in collaboration with the
Deckspace Media Lab http://dek.spc.org, the Bitnik Collective http://www.bitnik.org/en, the Boundless
Project http://boundless.coop/drupal and Goldsmiths College, http://www.deptford.tv is an open,
collaborative platform that allows artists, filmmakers and people living and working around Deptford
to store, share, re-edit and redistribute the documentation of the process of urban regeneration of
this area of London. In the summer of 2006 there were 54 people involved with Deptford.TV, most
of which were locals (living not only in Deptford but also other neighbouring Southeast London areas
such as New Cross, Greenwich, Peckham and Brockley). Although fairly diverse, these people shared
three main interests: 1. film-making; 2. practices of file-sharing, open source software, alternative
copyright litigation (copylefting) and remix culture; and 3. their local area of Deptford and the
regeneration process currently taking place there.
right click here to see community activist Pete Pope on regeneration in Deptford
Alternatives Project
Through the Alternatives project they bring together makers and thinkers in different fields to work on
sustainable cultural alternatives; through conferences, workshops and publications we challenge the
one-dimensional status quo of imbalance between producers and consumers, promote critical
thinking and radical use of cellular and distributed technologies - both in grassroots and in corporate
settings.
Deptford Pirate Bay
This is a virtual, cellular organization within Liquid Culture, to create a strong ‘free culture’ brand in
Deptford. We take an area which is becoming trendier, subtract the mainstream, one-dimensional
meaning of "trendy", add free culture to the mix, shake well, and let new local participants make arts
and culture thrive.
Other Activity of Interest
Creekside is a unique and complex area comprised of over 57 separate freeholds, coupled with
diverse natural and cultural resources. Although a number of good design frameworks have been
produced, there is no existing mechanism whereby an integrated design response can be developed,
tested, consulted on and jointly agreed. Therefore site owners develop plans in isolation and often
find the planning process frustrating and negative. On the ground, the great potential of the area
remains unreleased. As one of the last central largely undeveloped corridors in the Thames Gateway,
there is great pressure for development.
Deptford Creekside Charrette
In the summer of 2008 Creekside was alive with design, as architects, planners, urban designers,
transport planners and environmental specialists gather to take part in a new and exciting
collaborative design Charrette. The aim of the Charrette is to bring together landowners, developers,
planners, residents and businesses over the course of a week, to participate in a collaborative planning
process. Led by a professional design team, participants will work together to produce a number of
buildable plans for an area. One of the key aims is to end up with solutions that are practical and take
into account everyone’s interests. the driving force behind the Charrette is Creative Process. There
are at least 57 separate landowners along Deptford Creek and businesses, residents and industry sit
side by side. The Creek also forms the boundary between the London boroughs of Lewisham and
Greenwich, requiring landowners to apply for planning permission through two authorities as well as
the Greater London Authority. There are three public meetings planned, as well as several smaller
meetings and one to one sessions over the course of the week (9th – 13th June 2008).
Arts in Regeneration: Deptford Stories
In late 2006 a local arts and heritage project – Deptford Stories – was awarded an Archives Landmark
Award by the City of London through London Metropolitan Archives. The award celebrates the
creative and imaginative use of archives in relation to projects run through community activities,
schools, colleges and youth work. Deptford Stories explored the history of the area through street
theatre and performance by over 100 local people and involved the collection of oral history and the
development of new archive material. At the heart of the project was the story of the old Albany,
which began as a refuge for the Gut Girls who worked in the slaughterhouse of the foreign cattle
market in the nineteenth century. Deptford Stories was developed through collaboration between the
local community, Art of Regeneration and The Albany. Deptford Stories has been developed by and
the Albany. The (new) Albany, opened in 1982, receives core funding from Arts Council England.
Deptford Stories was funded by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund and
Lewisham Council.
Appendices
Strategic Employment Locations in Deptford
Surrey Canal SEL
The Surrey Canal area is in the north of the Borough between Evelyn Street and New Cross Road.
The site includes waste processing and transfer facilities including the Council’s Civic Amenity Site, a
combined heat and power station, and other waste transfer and recycling activities. There is the
potential for more of these uses to be concentrated at the Surrey Canal location. The so called
‘Silwood Triangle’ site is currently vacant. The main access to this site is currently via the waste
processing sites on Landmann Way off Surrey Canal Road. The central core of the area (Surrey Canal
Road) is serviced via Ilderton Road from the Old Kent Road (A2), which passes through the extensive
industrialised areas of the SEL within the adjoining London Borough of Southwark. Access is also
possible from Evelyn Street (A200) via Grinstead Road. The area is poorly served by public transport,
but this will improve with the building of Phase 2 of the East London Railway and the construction of
a new station at Surrey Canal Road. However access to this area is also rendered difficult due to the
number of railway lines on viaducts that cross the borough, and meet at this location, causing a good
deal of severance. This severance will increase in the future as Bolina Road will be closed to road
traffic as part of the Thameslink 2000 project. The location of those sites that will be included in the
Surrey Canal SEL, located behind railway viaducts and shielded from residential areas, provides a good
location for those industries and processes that do not require good public transport and a high
quality environment. This location has the potential of twenty four hour working to supply goods and
services to London. This may include general manufacturing process, bakeries, printing etc. The
industrial/warehousing premises on Blackhorse Road are also located within the SEL. These premises
have direct access to the A200 at Evelyn Street, represent good quality opportunities for businesses
to locate and are located so as to not cause disturbance to nearby residential development.
Site 1. Waste Transfer Sites around Landmann Way including South East London Combined Heat and
Power Station, Hinkcroft Skips, Civic Amenity Site, British Wharf and Gemini Industrial Estates,
Silwood Triangle
Site 2 Elizabeth Industrial Estate, Juno Way Industrial Estate, Lewisham Vehicle Pound and railway
lands at Juno Way and Coldblow Lane
Site 3 Bolina Road (Enterprise Industrial Estate)
Site 4 Apollo Business Centre and other industrial premises on Trundleys Road
Site 5 Deptford Trading Estate and other industrial/office premises on Blackhorse Road, Ocean
Wharf, Grinstead Road and Evelyn Street.
The preferred option for Sites 1, 2, 4 and 5 (not Ocean Wharf and Grinstead Road) is Option 1
retention within the Strategic Employment Location. These sites were considered to perform the
core function of the Strategic Employment Location, due to their appropriate physical location many
of which are located behind railway embankments and viaducts, the nature of the uses on these sites,
and their potential to locate waste functions.
The preferred option for Site 3 Bolina Road (Enterprise Industrial Estate) and Site 5 (part) Grinstead
Road/Ocean Wharf Site is Option 2 to propose alternative uses (see Mixed Use Employment Areas).
Site 3 Bolina Road is a small purpose built industrial estate adjacent to Millwall Football Stadium. Car
repair uses and small storage/warehousing facilities predominate. The Council considers that the
stadium and adjacent areas have the potential to act as a catalyst for the transformation of this area of
North Lewisham which is poor in environmental quality. This site which is also close to public
transport at South Bermondsey Station is considered to be important in achieving regeneration aims
for North Lewisham. Site 5 is partly vacant and presents a poor quality environment on an important
site adjacent to Deptford Park. It is understood that the site is also badly contaminated. It was
considered that designation as a Mixed Use Employment Area would increase the employment
contribution from the site, remedy the obvious disadvantages to the environment, and make a
positive contribution to the street scene.
Appendix 2: Local Employment Locations
Plough Way Local Employment Location
This site comprises modern industrial and office buildings which are suitable for continued use. There
have been some complaints from residents in relation to the night operation and deliveries to the
manufacturing facility on the site. This is currently under review. The existing businesses are
considered to make an important contribution to the local economy and job provision.
Evelyn Street Local Employment Location
Evelyn Street is a small well defined area of fully occupied modern commercial and warehouse
buildings with good access directly on to the A200 Evelyn Street. The preferred option is retention in
employment use. This site is well used with modern buildings and good road access and servicing
directly on to the A200 Evelyn Street well served by bus routes. Surrey Quays Underground station
is about 500 metres away. The site is well configured in order to minimise disturbance to
neighbouring residential development. It is considered that some intensification of business use could
therefore take place.
Appendix 3: Mixed Use Employment Areas
All of the following sites have illustrative Master-plans.
Childers Street and Arklow Road MEL
The industrial buildings on Childers Street consist of older buildings over four floors that were
formerly railway carriage maintenance sheds sandwiched between a railway viaduct and a residential
area. An access road to commercial uses in arches under a railway viaduct directly abuts the buildings
to the rear. Deliveries to the Childers Street buildings are via a residential road which has caused
complaints to one of the major occupiers and therefore operational constraints. The Arklow Road
Estate is a small self contained industrial estate located between two railway viaducts. The buildings in
this estate are suitable for industrial/commercial warehousing use, access within the site for heavy
goods vehicles is adequate. The buildings on site are a mix of ages and condition. Some would benefit
with renovation or replacement. Access to the site by road is relatively poor and is embedded in a
residential area some distance from the major road network. Other uses close by include a large
multi occupied office building in excellent condition (Astra House) and a new live/work development,
which are compatible with the location. One bus route passes close to the site and the area is within
approximately 10 minutes walk of New Cross railway station. The site represents an opportunity to
improve connectivity through the area, renew business uses on the site, and also provide an element
of residential development. There could be opportunities to renegotiate or redesign the delivery
access to the buildings on Childers Street via the access road to the railway arches. The older
industrial buildings on Childers Street represent a positive and charming element to the built
environment and its loss would cause a change in the local historic character and street scene. The
Council will require a comprehensive redevelopment of this site based on a Masterplan. Development
should take measures to reduce the severance caused by the railway lines traversing the site, by the
use of imaginative design solutions, and provide through routes to enable the linking of the site to the
wider area. This will require negotiation with Network Rail and Spacia (or their successors) to ensure
the appropriate handling of the business/warehousing units in the railway arches, and their continued
functioning in business/industrial/warehousing use. Employment uses should provide accommodation
for creative uses and new small business units. Any new development should maximise the
employment contribution on the site. Any proposed live/work developments on this site would need
to be considered on their merits and demonstrate that appropriate design and management measures
have been undertaken to ensure their continuance in business use. Existing buildings in the Arklow
Road and Childers Street areas are considered to be capable of re-use and refurbishment and
applications for their redevelopment will need to demonstrate that such a comprehensive approach
will deliver significant benefits beyond their retention.
Plough Way MEL
This area has a mixture of sites, premises and uses as follows: Former Salter Paper Works; Transport
yards and vacant sites on Yeoman Street; Insulcrete Works comprising of timber yards and assorted
small commercial buildings; Small commercial buildings on Croft Street; Cannon Wharf Business
Centre, a former laundry converted to small business units. Earl Pumping Station (water utility). The
potential of this part of the area to remain in commercial and industrial use has been constrained by
new residential development on the boundaries of the area particularly along Croft Street and Plough
Way. The Council will be seeking a comprehensive redevelopment of this site to ensure that valuable
existing occupiers can be re-accommodated in appropriate locations within the Mixed Use
Employment Area, and to ensure that the opportunities presented by the development to link
development of the course of the former Surrey Canal as a landscape/water feature at Oxestalls Road
are taken. London Plan policy 4C.30 New canals and canal restoration supports the restoration of the
former Surrey Canal running through the site. The review concluded that on balance redevelopment
that would increase the intensity of uses, provide a greater mix of business uses, and replace some of
the existing buildings with modern facilities, together with residential development would meet the
Council’s objectives for the site.
Surrey Canal Road MEL
This includes the following sites and premises: the Enterprise Industrial Estate Bolina Road which is a
small purpose-built estate with good servicing, with railway embankments to the east and north and
the Millwall Stadium to the east. Car repair uses predominate; the Stockholm Road area which forms
the southern boundary to the Millwall Stadium area and comprises a strip of land largely taken up by a
large warehouse/factory building; the Excelsior Estate in the Rollins Street area to the south of Surrey
Canal Road which comprises a mix of industrial /warehousing buildings. Some older style multi storey
warehouse buildings have received planning permission for live work units, introducing a residential
element into this location. The western portion of the Rollins Street area is taken up by a timber
merchant (Jewsons) and the area is bounded to the south by a housing estate; the Orion business
Centre which is a self contained purpose built business centre with good servicing off Surrey Canal
Road. It is surrounded by railway viaducts to the east and west and to the south by Surrey Canal
Road and beyond is a housing estate. The functioning of the Orion Business Centre will be affected by
the arrival of Phase 2 of the East London Railway and the proposed new station at this location;
Millwall Football stadium and other buildings in leisure use. Millwall Football Stadium has the potential
to form the core of a new location in North Lewisham in an area largely devoid of identifiable
features such as local centres, and community and leisure facilities. The stadium is difficult to access
from the rest of the borough and the opportunity should be taken in case of development of the
surrounding sites as listed above to increase its profile and linkages. Many of the uses in the industrial
buildings at this location are low in intensity, and some of the buildings are poor quality. There are
some attractive older warehouse/industrial buildings that could be enhanced and contribute to the
overall urban quality of the site. Opportunities would need to be taken to create a pedestrian friendly
environment, raise the profile of Surrey Canal Road as a bus and cycle route and create a
recognisable identity for the area. The site is close to South Bermondsey Railway Station and
therefore connections in to the centre of London are good, although the southern and eastern parts
of the area are less well served. The proposed East London Railway and station on Surrey Canal Road
will provide improved public transport accessibility to this part of the site and the development of the
Surrey Canal Road area should contribute to delivering improvements to public transport
infrastructure and services. This is has the potential to be a sustainable location to provide high
quality dense development. The Orion business centre functions well, but it is considered that the
opportunity represented by the new public transport facilities should be taken to increase the density
and intensity of the uses offered by the site in order to complement and increase the centre of gravity
that would be offered by the development at Millwall. The site is physically isolated by railway viaducts
and the physical environment is poor quality, and requires intensive investment. The image of the area
is poor and uninviting. Development will need to act to counter these physical constraints. Public
Transport along Surrey Canal Road is non existent. The Preferred Option is to amalgamate these
sites into one site designation to enable development of the area to be considered on a
comprehensive and integrated basis.
Grinstead Road MEL
Grinstead Road has direct access to the A200 via residential properties and is opposite Deptford
Park. The western boundary is provided by a railway viaduct with railway arches. This site comprises
a relatively modern vacant two storey office block (Parkside House) although it is in poor condition
and has been vacant for some years. The car park for the office block is now used as a scaffolding
yard, which limits the potential re-use of the building. Other buildings include various storage and
warehousing buildings and the Neptune Chemical Works on Canal Approach. It is understood that
the site is contaminated. Following a review of sites as part of the Employment Land Review, it is
considered that this site (part of which has been vacant for a number of years) should be released for
mixed use development in accordance with regeneration objectives as it is directly adjacent to
housing, and presents a poor visual appearance in this location adjacent to Deptford Park. This site is
in a prominent position in that it acts as a gateway to the industrial uses on Surrey Canal Road and is
adjacent to residential uses on Grinstead Road and to Deptford Park to the north. The road here is
an important crossing point under the mainline viaduct adjacent to Folkestone Gardens. The site is
considered to be poorly used and damaging to the environment at this sensitive location. A relatively
modern small office building has been vacant for some years. The buildings are generally of low quality
and poor physical condition, requiring considerable investment to make them acceptable directly
adjacent to the sensitive residential and park uses, and the site is known to be contaminated. There is
easy access to the main road network to Evelyn Street and to the Old Kent Road via Surrey Canal
Road and Ilderton Road.
The Physical Regeneration Process
Pre-Development
Site preparation
Scheme Design
Negotiation
Development
Property occupancy
Property Management
Local Development Framework
Master-plan
Marketing of development sites
Selection of Designers and/or Architects
Site Preparation – Compulsory Purchase Orders
Site Preparation – demolition
Site preparation – remediation
Design of building
Design of space
Section 106
Building construction
Infrastructure provision
Property ownership (market)
Property occupancy (choice-based letting)
Building user groups
Building occupant organisations
Maintenance and repair of buildings and space
Security for buildings and space